Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, has cleared a total of N9.36 billion in gratuities owed to state and local government workers, some of which date back to 2011.
The governor initiated the payment process in February 2024, fulfilling a longstanding debt inherited from previous administrations. According to a statement issued by Sulaiman Bala Idris, the governor’s spokesperson, a total of N4.86 billion has been disbursed to retired state workers in nine batches.
“In his commitment to reform the Zamfara State civil service, Governor Lawal established a committee in February to verify and authenticate the pensioners who had not been paid since 2011,” Idris stated.
The payment covers 2,666 out of 3,880 verified pensioners who retired between 2015 and 2024. For local government workers, the statement added, a total of N4.49 billion has been settled, benefitting 3,840 retirees from local government and primary schools, who retired between 2011 and 2021.
“To date, the state has settled a combined total of N9.36 billion in gratuity, out of the N13.78 billion owed to 6,506 verified retirees. Payments have been made to those who retired between 2011 and 2024,” Idris concluded.
Governor Lawal’s administration has been praised for its efforts to address the pension arrears and ensure that retirees receive their long-overdue benefits.
